Writing instrument



Sept. 10, 1963 u. LEGNANI 3,103,205

WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed April 4, 1961 NVENTOR. W

MSW

United States Patent Office 3,103,205 Patented Sept. 10, 1963 3,103,205 WRITING INSTRUMENT Umberto Legn'ani, Via Varese, Milan, Italy Filed Apr. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 100,660 Claims priority, application Italy Apr. 9, 1960 9 Claims. (Cl. 120-4203) The present invention relates generically to writing instruments, and more particularly to writing instruments of the type including a plurality of writing means movably arranged in an instrument casing or barrel, each adapted for writing purposes and located in the said instrument barrel to alternatively operate any desired single writing means for said writing purpose. More specifically, the present invention relates to writing instruments of the [type having an instrument barrel and more than one writing means arranged thereinto and adapted for writing or marking purposes in differing colours, each one of said means being designed for marking in one colour, the instrument being provided with means for setting any single means in an advanced operative or working position in the said barrel for marking or writing in the respective desired colour.

Preferably the imrpoved writing instrument of this invention is provided with a plurality of writing means of the type havng a ball-point rotatably supported in the forward end of a tip member which at its turn is connected with an elongated ink container-namely adapted for feeding ink in said tip by capillarity-each one of the said writing means being therefore constructed as a conventional refill of well known ball-point pens-and wherein each refill located in the said instrument barrel includes ink of known colourwhereby the instrument includes means adapted for writing in any desired colour from among the plurality of colours corresponding to the plurality of writing means with which the instrument is provided.

A wide number of such writing instruments designed for writing in differing colours has been heretofore proposed and on trade. In general, such multi-refilled instruments include relatively thin and short refills, so that a very small amount of ink stored in each refill will briefly become exhausted. The special refills required for replacement of the exhausted refills are not readily available on trade and the replacement thereof require a somewhat careful handling of the instrument. In addition, the multi-refilled instruments on trade are, generally speaking, pretty costly and of a rather complicated construction.

Among the objects of this invention is to provide a new and improved multi-refilled writing instrument which obviates the disadvantages referred to above.

A further object of this invention is to provide a ballpointed writing instrument of the general type indicated above and described hereinafter, which shall be adapted to be used in conjunction with refills each of regular size, is. having the length and the inner diameter of a refill of which generally any conventionally produced single refilled ball-pointed pen is providedwhereby the instrument of the invention will be greatly less subject to fast exhaustion in respect to the heretofore proposed multirefilled instruments of the type considered.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a multi-refilled writing instrument of the type described, which shall require very simple operation for replacement of exhausted refills thereof, and which is adapted to be provided with a widely manufactured and commerced type of refill which may be arranged in the instrumentin substitution and replacement of the exhausted refill or refills.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved writing instrument of the character considered, which is extremely simple and economical in its construction and sturdy and capable to resist most severe abuse in its operation.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities inherently possessed by this invention will be explained more fully below.

This invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts to be detailedly described hereinbelow and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming an essential component of this disclosure, and while there is shown a preferred embodiment of this invention, it will be intended that the same are susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a preferred form of embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in longitudinal cross-section of same embodiment;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view illustrating partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal cross-section the components of the form of embodiment of FIGS. ,1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the instrument, showing in enlarged scale the same as seen from the plane and in the direction indicated by arrows 44 in FIG. 3;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view on enlarged scale of a guide component of which the instrument is provided, fragmentarily shown;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of another component of the instrument, and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view fragmentar-ily showing the rear end portion of one refill appertaining to the plurality comprised into the instrument, and some components associated therewith.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts and components throughout the several figures:

In the form of embodiment shown, the improved instrument of the invention includes a composite instrument barrel, including a tubular forwardly tapered fore portion 10, a tubular and substantially cylindrical rear portion 11 and an inner middle portion 12.

The said tubular portions 10 and 11 are preferably made of metal so that a thin walled casing may be embodied thereby, having an internal volume enough for housing a plurality of standard sized refills, while the instrument body have a well acceptable external diameter. The said middle portion 12 is however preferably produced of plastic or resinous material.

Upon assemblage of the various components of the device, as described below, the upper or rear portion 11 is fixedly secured to said middle portion, while the said lower or fore portion 10 is detachably secured to said middle portion 12, preferably by means of a suitable screw engagement. \As shown in FIG. 3, the fore end portion of said member 12 is provided with a screw thread 13 provided for screwingly engaging with helical notches 14 (FIGS. 1 and 3) provided on said fore portion-10, near to its upper or rear end.

In the form of embodiment shown, the improved instrument of the inventionis designed for accommodation and alternative use of four refills, but the structure described hereinbelovv could be easily adapted by those skilled in art for providing equivalent instruments including more or less than four refills. Such four-refilled instrument should he therefore intended as being shown by way of illustration only and not limitative of the invention.

Four cylindrical passages 15 are provided lengthwise the said middle portion 12, parallel of and evenly spaced a 3 about the axis thereof, each one of said passages consisting of a bore adapted for lengthwise sliding arrangement of a standard sized refill 16 of the type-commercially produced-having a thin elongated tip 17 including a standard ball-point and an ink containing tubular portion of substantially resilient or pliable material, for example, polyethylene or other suitable resinous material known in the art. In particular, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the said tubular portion of each refill is adapted for a moderate lateral bending as necessary for adaptation thereof of the taper of the tapered fore portion 18 (FIG. 3) as one refill is pushed forward, and guide-dly causing the tip of the advanced refill into the fore opening 19 of the instrument barrel.

At the upper or rear end of each refill a member 29 is threaded-1y connected. The said members 2% are formed of a suitable plastic material coloured to distinguish the colour on ink stored in the respectively connected refill. Each one of said members 29' includes a short middle cylindrical portion made integral with a threaded tail portion 21 (shown in dashed tines in FIG. 7) adapted for engagement with the end portion of the substantially resilient tubular container of the refill, and with a halfcylin-drical upper extension 23 forming a step at 22.

A small metal made rod 25 is co-axially secured to the upper end of said middle component 12. of the instrument body, and a small resilient metal sheet made member is riveted at 33 to the upper end of said rod. Such member is formed with four resilient wings or flaps 26 tending to radially expand, due to the resiliency of the material. About each refill 16 a small coil spring 27 isarranged for upwardly urging its respective refill. Such coil spring abuts from above on a step 28 formed in the upper portion of respective bore 15 (FIG. and abuts from below on the said cylindrical middle portion of respective member 20, whose upper half-cylindrical portion 23 guidedly slides along correspondingly shaped out-facing longitudinal grooves formed in the upper portion of the upper component 11 of the barrel, as indicated at 24 in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive.

A t the centre of said upper portion a hole 30 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is provided for zguidedly arranging an upwardly projecting push-button 29 connected to or integrally formed with a small tubular member 31 dimensioned for slidable fitting about the said wings or flaps 26, upon compression of a small coil spring 32 arranged inside said tubular member 31 and abutting from above at 33 on the upper end of said rod 25; an out-turned flange portion 34 of said push-button 22 is provided as a stop means for limiting the upward movement of said button.

From the above and by a consideration of the accompanying drawing the assembly and the operation of the embodiment of the invention will be readily understood. The said members 20-23 are located in their respective grooves at 24 and the coil springs 27 are arranged below said members for upwardly urging same. The said middle component 12 is then secured in the lower portion of said upper component 11 of the instrument barrel. The several refills are fitted each in one bore of said middle component and secured to the lower threaded tail 21 of the respective member 20. Of course, in factory assembling of the instrument the several refills might be previously connected to their respective members and fitted from above into bores 15, prior to connection of upper component 11 to middle component 12 of the instrument barrel. In addition, the said push-button member 29, 31, 32. and 34 is fitted from below in said upper center hole of said upper component 11.

While at their unoperative or resting location, each member 20-23 is located in its respective groove 24 so that its step 22 will rest at a level higher than the lower edge of the facing wing or fiap 2-6, which is at its turn caused to stay at an inward position, i.e. near to rod 25. When all said members 20-23 are in said inoperative position, all refills 16 are fully retracted within the instrument barrel and the lower opening 19 (FIG. 3) is unobstructed.

When to mark or write with one given colour is desired, the operator downwardly pushes in direction A (FIGS. 1 and 2) on the externally projecting top of upward extension 23 of member 20-23 showing the corresponding colour, thus downwardly pushing the corresponding refill until its tip 17, guided inside the tapered portion 18 of component 16 of the barrel, projects outside the said lower opening 19. At such longitudinal position of the refill, its associated member 20-23 will have its step 22 at the level of the lower edge of the respectively facing flap 26, which will outwardly snap engaging the said step and locking the associated refill at its advanced operative position. In FIGS. 1 and 2 the refill at right is shown as at said operative position.

For setting the instrument for transportation, or prior to prepare the same for writing in a differing colour, the advanced refill must be caused to retreat at its inoperative position, for clearing the lower opening 19. Such operation is performed by pushing on said push-button 29, so that its associated tubular member 34 further fits about the flaps 26 causing all flaps to inwardly'move. Of course, three out of the four flaps 26 are yet not operative and inwardly positioned but such member 31 will operate irrespectively on all flaps, causing the outwardly extended one, engaging the step 22 of the advanced member 20-23, to disengage the said step and therefore causing the backward or upward motion of said member and of its associated refill 16 towards and into their inoperative position, under the action of the associated coil spring 27.

Of course the writing instrument produced according to this invention will be provided with as many refills as are desired, say two, three, five or more, in lieu of the described four-coloured instrument having four refills. Obviously, in such case the instrument will be provided with as many bores 15 and resilient wings or flaps 26 as the refills and their associated members 20-23 are, while one push button 2.9 and one tubular member 31 fitting about all flaps will be made use of, irrespective of the number of refills.

By un-screwing the said fore component 10 from the middle component 12, the fore portions of all refills 16 will become uncovered and therefore any desired refill might be rotated for un-screwing same from its respective member 20-23 and for removal of same refill. Any currently produced refill of standard size and having a plastic made tubular container and thin elongated tip may be made use of for replacement of any exhausted refill of the new instrtunent of the invention.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that there are various modifications in the construction of my novel writing instrument, and although I have hereinabove described one preferred embodiment, I wish it understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In a writing instrument having a hollow barrel elongated along a longitudinal axis and elongated writing means slidably mounted in a substantially longitudinal direction in said barrel, in combination, a substantially flat resilient member mounted radially in said barrel on the longitudinal axis thereof, said resilient member having two ends and being mounted at one end thereof, said resilient member extending in the region of said one end substantially along said longitudinal axis and being urged by itsv resiliency in the region of the other end thereof away from said longitudinal axis so that when said resilient member is free the region of its other end flares out substantially radially from said longitudinal axis and when force directed toward said longitudinal axis is exented on said resilient member said other end region of the said resilient member is held substantially adjacent said longitudinal axis; and control means slidably mounted in said barrel to move along said longitudinal axis in a plurality of positions between a disengaged position in which said control means is spaced from said resllient member and the other end of said resilient member contacts said writing means and urges it away from said longitudinal axis and an engaged position in which said control means exerts on said resilient member in the region of said one end thereof a force directed to- Wards the said longitudinal axis so that the said resilient member is held substantially adjacent the said longitudinal axis and the other end of the said resilient member is disengaged from said writing means.

2. In a writing instrument having a hollow barrel elongated along a longitudinal axis and a plurality of elongated writing means slidably mounted in a substantially longitudinal direction in said barrel, in combina tion, a plurality of substantially flat resilient members mounted radially in said barrel about the longitudinal axis thereof, each of said resilient members having two ends, each being mounted at one end thereof, each extending in the region of said one end substantially along said longitudinal axis and each being urged by its resiliency in the region of the other end thereof away from said longitudinal axis so that when said resilient members are free the regions of their other ends flare out substantialy radially from said longitudinal axis and when force directed toward said longitudinal axis is exerted on said resilient members said other end regions of the said resilient members are held substantially adjacent said longitudinal axis; and a sleeve slidably mounted in said barrel to move along said longitudinal axis in a plurality of positions between a disengaged position in which said sleeve is spaced from said resilient members and the other end of one of said resilient members contacts a corresponding one of said writing means and urges it away from said longitudinal axis and an engaged position in which said sleeve covers at least a portion of each of said resilient members sufiicient to exert on each of said resilient members a force directed towards the said longitudinal axis so that the said resilient members are held substantially adjacent the said longitudinal axis and the other end of said one of said resilient members is disengaged from said corresponding writing means.

3. In a writing instrument having a hollow barrel elongated along a longitudinal axis and provided with a rear portion and a fore portion and a plurality of elongated writing means slidably mounted in a substantially longitudinal direction in said barrel, in combination, a plurality of substantially flat resilient members mounted radially in said barrel in the region of the rear portion thereof about the longitudinal axis thereof, each of said resilient members having two ends, each being mounted at one end thereof, each extending in the region of said one end substantially along said longitudinal axis and each being urged by its resiliency in the region of the other end thereof away from said longitudinal axis so that when said resilient members are free the regions of their other ends flare out substantially radially from said longitudinal axis and when force directed toward said longitudinal axis is exerted on said resilient members said other end regions of the said resilient members are held substantially adjacent said longitudinal axis; and a sleeve slidably mounted in said barrel in the region of .the rear portion thereof to move along said longitudinal axis in a plurality of positions between a disengaged position in which said sleeve is spaced from said resilient members and the other end of one of said resilient members contacts a corresponding one of said writing means and urges it away from said longitudinal axis and away from the rear portion of said barrel and toward (the fore portion of said bairel and an engaged position in which said sleeve covers at least a portion of each of said resilient members sufficient to exert on each of said resilient members a force directed towards the said longitudinal axis so that the said resilient members are held substantially adjacent the said longitudinal axis and the other end of said one of said resilient members is disengaged from said corresponding writing means.

4. In a writing instrument as claimed in claim 3, the rear portion of said barrel having a center hole and said sleeve having a control portion extending through the center hole in the rear portion of said barrel to a location outside the said barrel.

'5. In a writing instrument as claimed in claim 3, each of said writing means comprising a refill having an elongated capillary ink container of plastic material with a rear open end and a ball point tracing tip secured at its opposite end, each of said members having a threaded .tail portion threadedly secured to the rear open end of a corresponding one of the refills of said Writing means.

6. In a writing instrument as claimed in claim 5, said resilient flap means being formed as radial extensions of a resilient metal sheet having a center portion and a plurality of flap forming radial extensions bent towards the force portion of said barrel for outward abutment on the steps of the corresponding members, and means securing the center portion of said resilient metal sheet to the upper end of the middle component of said barrel.

7. In a writing instrument having a hollow barrel elongated along a longitudinal axis and provided with a rear portion and a fore portion tapering into an open tip, elongated writing means slidably mounted in a substantialy longitudinal direction in said barrel and arranged in said barrel substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis for longitudinal movement between an inoperative position and an operative position, the rear portion of said barrel having a substantially longitudinally extending groove formed therein, said groove being in alignment with said Writing means, a member slidably mounted substantially longitudinally in said barrel and having a portion external to said barrel longitudinally slidable in said groove and connected to the rear end of said writing means, spring means positioned in said barrel and abutting said member for urging said member and the connected writing means into their inoperative position, said member having an inwardly and rearwardly facing step formed therein, in combination, resilient flap means supported in the rear portion of said barrel and outwardly urging said member away from the longitudinal axis of said barrel and having a free edge positioned to abut the step of the said member from the rear of said barrel when the said member and .the connected writing means is in its operative position; and a tubular member slidably mounted in the rear of said barrel to move between an engaging position in which said tubular member prevents said resilient flap means from urging said member away from said longitudinal axis and prevents the free edges of said resilient tfiap means from abutting the step of said member and a disengaging position in which said tubular member is spaced from said resilient flap means sufiiciently to permit said resilient flap means to urge said member away from said longitudinal axis and to permit the free edges of said resilient flap means to abut the step of said member so that .the said writing means is held in its operative position.

8. In a writing instrument having a hollow barrel elongated along a longitudinal axis and provided with a rear portion and a fore portion tapering into an open tip, a plurality of elongated writing means slidably mounted in a substantially longitudinal direction in said barrel arranged in said barrel substantially parallel to and evenly spaced about the longitudinal axis for longitudinal movement between an inoperative position and an operative position, the rear portion of said barrel having a plurality of substantially longitudinally extending grooves formed therein, each of said grooves being in alignment with one of said writing means, a plurality of members slidably mounted substantially longitudinally in said barrel each having a portion external to said barrel longitudinally slidable in a corresponding one of said grooves and connected to the rear end of a corresponding aligned one of said writing means, a plurality of spring means positioned in said barrel each abutting a corresponding one of said members for urging said members and the connected writing means into their inoperative position, each of said members having an inwardly and rearwardly facing step formed therein, in combination, a plurality of resilient flap means supported in the rear portion of said barrel each outwardly urging a corresponding one or" said members away from the longitudinal axis of said barrel and having a free edge positioned to abut the step of the corresponding member from the rear of said barrel when said corresponding member and the connected writing means is in its operative position; and a tubular member slidably mounted substantially longitudinally in the rear of said barrel to move between an engaging position in which said tubular member prevents said resilient flap means from urging said members away from said longitudinal axis and prevents the free edges of said resilient flap means from abutting the steps of said members and a disengaging position in which said tubular member is spaced from saidresilient flap means sufiiciently to permit one of said resilient flap means to urge the corresponding one of said members away from said longitudinal axis and to permit the free edges of said one of said resilient flap means to abut the step of said one of said members so that the corresponding one of said writing means is held in its operative position.

9. In a writing instrument as claimed in claim 8, said hollow barrel having an upper component forming said rear portion, said upper component having space therein for housing selected components of said Writing instrument, a middle component fixedly secured to said upper component and having a plurality of longitudinally extending bores therein and a lowercomponent forming said tapering fore portion and removably secured to said middle component, said elongated writing means being slidably mounted in substantially longitudinal direction in the longitudinally extending bores of the middle component of said barrel, said members, said spring means, said resilient flap means and said tubular member being positioned in the space of said upper component.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,398,548 Moore Apr 16, 1946 2,781,741 Tintner d. Feb. 19, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,229,397 France Mar. 21, 1960 

1. IN A WRITING INSTRUMENT HAVING A HOLLOW BARREL ELONGATED ALONG A LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND ELONGATED WRITING MEANS SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION IN SAID BARREL, IN COMBINATION, A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT RESILIENT MEMBER MOUNTED RADIALLY IN SAID BARREL ON THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF, SAID RESILIENT MEMBER HAVING TWO ENDS AND BEING MOUNTED AT ONE END THEREOF, SAID RESILIENT MEMBER EXTENDING IN THE REGION OF SAID ONE END SUBSTANTIALLY ALONG SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND BEING URGED BY ITS RESILIENCY IN THE REGION OF THE OTHER END THEREOF AWAY FROM SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS SO THAT WHEN SAID RESILIENT MEMBER IS FREE THE REGION OF ITS OTHER END FLARES OUT SUBSTANTIALLY RADIALLY FROM SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND WHEN FORCE DIRECTED TOWARD SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS IS EXERTED ON SAID RESILIENT MEMBER SAID OTHER END REGION OF THE SAID RESILIENT MEMBER IS HELD SUBSTANTIALLY ADJACENT SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS; AND CONTROL MEANS SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID BARREL TO MOVE ALONG SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS IN A PLURALITY OF POSITIONS BETWEEN A DISENGAGED POSITION IN WHICH SAID CONTROL MEANS IS SPACED FROM SAID RESILIENT MEMBER AND THE OTHER END OF SAID RESILIENT MEMBER CONTACTS SAID WRITING MEANS AND URGES IT AWAY FROM SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND AN ENGAGED POSITION IN WHICH SAID CONTROL MEANS EXERTS ON SAID RESILIENT MEMBER IN THE REGION OF SAID ONE END THEREOF A FORCE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS SO THAT THE SAID RESILIENT MEMBER IS HELD SUBSTANTIALLY ADJACENT THE SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND THE OTHER END OF THE SAID RESILIENT MEMBER IS DISENGAGED FROM SAID WRITING MEANS. 